History of Burberry
The history of Burberry began in the United Kingdom in 1856 when Thomas Burberry, a draper’s apprentice, opened the first store in Basingstoke, Hampshire. His business, featuring outdoor apparel, soon became well established. The invention of gabardine by Mr. Burberry in 1879 was a remarkable innovation in the history of Burberry. Gabardine, a weather-resistant, waterproofed fabric, was patented in 1888, and further developments quickly followed in the history of Burberry.
Thomas Burberry originally established the company headquarters of Burberry at the Haymarket in London in 1891 as a typical department store, featuring a variety of items for local residents and visiting sportspeople. At this time, he designed the Tielocken coat, which became the forerunner of the trenchcoat. Within 10 years, the War Office requested a design for the British military uniform. Another important milestone in Burberry history was reached with the registration of the trademark Equestrian Knight Logo in 1904. In addition, Burberry was asked to fashion apparel for Roald Amundsen, the first man to reach the South Pole in 1911, and again for Edward Shackleton’s expedition across Antarctica in 1914. The history of Burberry reflects that Amundsen left a gabardine tent at the South Pole, indicating a successful mission. During this period, Burberry expanded and opened stores in New York and Paris.
When World War I broke out, Burberry further modified the British uniform in order to meet the demands of warfare. The “Art of the Trench” had become a major milestone in the history of Burberry. The traditional Burberry pattern, the red, white, black, and camel check, was introduced as a lining for the trenchcoat in 1924. British uniforms were once again modified in design during World War II. However, it took a number of years for the Burberry check to be registered as their trademark. Meanwhile, the appeal of the trenchcoat was further enhanced when worn by celebrities in films, such as Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman in Casablanca, Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, and Peter Sellers in the Pink Panther movies. The history of Burberry continued with their special clothing designs for aviators and sponsorship of A.E. Clouston and Betsy Green in their winning race from Cape Town to London.
